Matt Cassel remains Vikings starter for third preseason game

Teddy Bridgewater rallied the Vikings to two late scores in last Saturday’s comeback win against the Cardinals, but those heroics haven’t changed the look of the team’s quarterback depth chart.

Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said Monday, via Ben Goessling of ESPN.com, that Matt Cassel will remain the team’s starter for the team’s preseason game next Satuday against the Chiefs. With the third preseason game usually serving as a dress rehearsal for the regular season, it would seem that Cassel is destined to start in St. Louis come September 7.

Bridgewater may get a chance to make one last case to keep Zimmer from making a final decision. The coach said Saturday that Bridgewater could get time with the first team against Kansas City and repeated that on Monday, but everything the Vikings are doing makes it seem that they want to go with the veteran for at least the short term.

Cassel’s done nothing in the preseason to make that look like a bad idea. He’s 17-of-22 for 210 yards and a touchdown through the first two games this summer and has shown good command of Norv Turner’s offense. That won’t make anyone clamor for Bridgewater any less if Cassel doesn’t perform well in the regular season, of course, but it looks like the rookie and his supporters will have to bide their time while Cassel shows what he can do.

I don’t who will bust first Teddy or Johnny, doesn’t really matter…..It’s inevitable for both in the near future.

bassplucker says:Aug 18, 2014 1:14 PM

Two-edged sword in a situation like this. On one hand you want to give your presumed QB of the future as many reps as possible before the games start to count. On the other hand, 3rd preseason game is typically when your opening day starter goes the distance (or close to it).

I foresee extensive time for Bridgewater in the preseason finale, although the level of competition he will face in that game is so poor there may not be a lot of value from an evaluation standpoint.

revelation123 says:Aug 18, 2014 1:15 PM

Let’s be honest, Bridgewater beat 3rd and 4th stringers. He beat many players who won’t even be in the NFL in 2 weeks.

In my honest opinion, I don’t think he will be a probowler before Adrian Peterson retires.

He needs time, and time is running out for Peterson.

frank booth says:Aug 18, 2014 1:27 PM

Of course he would start the third game. Cassel played well against the Cardinals first and second stringers, while Bridgewater excelled in the 4th quarter against players who were clueless in regards to defensive schemes and won’t be on rosters in a couple of weeks.

Bridgewater took over for Cassel after 2 series in the first week and the result was a 46% completion rate, no TD’s, and a fumble. In the second week, they played Bridgewater against lesser talent, and he looked very good at times. Just like he did in college in the Athletic American Conference.

He’s a guy with potential that led a great drive against sub-par players in the 4th quarter of a pre-season game.

Matt Cassel is the ideal quarterback for the Vikings this year. He isn’t elite, but he’s good enough to do very well when he has talent around him. He’s a great mentor for a young quarterback. He won’t force the Vikings to play a rookie before he’s absolutely ready (anyone remember Donovan McNabb?). I know we’re all excited for Teddy Time, but it can only help to let him sit and watch for a while.

Bridgewater’s work was against 3s and 4s. His last TD was bogus as the receiver juggled it as he went down. In a real game, the zebras would have to have called it incomplete, but since this was a home preseason game for the Vikes, a blow call for the home team makes perfect NFL sense, not to mention that the zebras wanted to get the game over with as well.

Throw Bridgewater out there against first team defenses and then see what he can do.

Teddy must be good I mean how many could lead TWO drives against guys that in a few weeks will be working at WAL MART????????

floratiotime says:Aug 18, 2014 1:41 PM

Terry “Garbage Time” Bridgewater.

ragnarthegreat says:Aug 18, 2014 1:41 PM

I am less invested in the Bridgewater/Cassell than most. If the defense doesn’t show up, it won’t matter who is the QB. I am still worried about the linebackers and who knows about the secondary? They can’t stay healthy enough to tell who can play in Zimmer’s scheme. The QB is one man and the defense is 11 guys. And while I hope for a major turn around in the D, I have no idea what to realistically expect.

Ask the Chief fans what they thought of Cassel just as he came over from the Pats, they thought he would be a franchise Qb. Flash forward a couple of years and they will tell you that Cassel is the answer only if the question is, “Do you want to finish in last place?”

Looks like we have the same answer for the Vikings in 2014, not that they aren’t used to it by now.

revelation123 says:Aug 18, 2014 1:46 PM

Cassel beat some 1st and 2nd stringers. Bridgewater beat 3rd and 4th stringers. It’s only natural to start the QB who has actually proved to do well against players who will still be in the NFL in 2 weeks.

bassplucker says:Aug 18, 2014 1:48 PM

I was actually shocked at how well Cassel played against a pretty darn good Cardinals D. He was terrible in KC… maybe he finally the right fit in terms of coach, scheme and surrounding talent.

This division should be an easy one to win this year, with the Bears garbage defense, the lions being the lions and the Packers rancid defense and them being snake bitten in the first round of the playoffs for 5 strait years it will all be over and we will have it sealed up by week 9!

Teddy should sit this year out while observing the game at the NFL level. As a vikings fan the biggest problem we have is no one has a chance at the QB position to get established.

Teddy is one bad game away from Ponder comparisons that will only get louder. Give him time to come up to speed and let Matt have this season. Our defense wasnt able to stop anything in the preseason thus far, we are not going to the Super Bowl this year even if the QB is in the top 10. We wont be able to stop anyone.

firerogergoodell says:Aug 18, 2014 1:59 PM

How many of you would go back in time and still give Matt Flynn the nod over Russ Wilson? Pete Carroll gambled and it paid off. It’s not like Cassel could take us to the Super Bowl. If Teddy is ready… Let him play !

This isn’t hard to figure out. They want Bridgewater to start, but just look at the schedule out of the gate:

@ St. Louis
New England
@ New Orleans
Atlanta
@ Green Bay

Even as a Vikings fan I think they will probably be 1-4 after that lineup…at best…. no matter who plays QB. Why would they subject Teddy to that?

So they throw Cassel out there. If by some miracle he does better then great. If as expected they are 1-4 or worse, then Teddy can ride in as a savior as he takes on Detroit at home, Buffalo, @Tampa and Washington.

It used to be that rookie QBs almost always sat behind an established starter — even rookies who were highly touted.

It’s ok if they wait a while on Bridgewater…it will ultimately be to his advantage…

babyfarkmcgeezax says:Aug 18, 2014 2:30 PM

The Vikings already had the most talent of any team in the NFL, no one questions that. Then they added Bridgewater, the hands-down best QB in the draft, and he is pushing a previously average QB in Cassel to a dominant level of play.

So now the most talent-rich roster in the NFL – possibly in NFL history – has arguably 2 of the best 5 quarterbacks in the league.

You do the math. The dynasty has begun.

lloydchristmas1 says:Aug 18, 2014 2:33 PM

I love all the ridiculous comparisons to Teddy Bridgewater when the guy hasn’t played a regular season game yet…Only time will tell! Cassel definately needs to start week one.

I wonder if those of you with negative comments on the defense have actually watched the first two games. This defense is HEAD AND SHOULDERS above what we have seen over the past 2 seasons. The Raiders did not move the ball at all, and even though the Cardinals converted a couple of big passing plays, the coverage on both was excellent. On their last TD “drive”, they gained 0 yards. That’s ZERO! The entire drive consisted of 5 incompletions, 2 penalties, and a 6-yard fumble advance for the TD. On the TD drive in the 3rd quarter, three times the Cards needed 4 downs to make 10 yards. Compare this to the Tampa 2 we’ve run for the past 5 years, where receivers were often wide open, and I, for one, am really looking forward to this season defense.

pappavike says:Aug 18, 2014 2:52 PM

Holy cow!! There sure a bunch of negative Nancys on here! They must be able to forsee the future, In that case let me give it a try! Cassel starts week one, and Bridgewater will hone his craft, watching and learning. As for the Defense they are still a work in progress, Besides they were missing a few players most notably Linval Joseph!! Not only that but the Vikes as well as every other team are not gonna show thier entire hand in preseason!! As far as who played against who, 1’s against 2’s and so forth they are all fighting for a roster spot and want to show well!! You would think with all the Bridgewater bashing, That we are all NFL caliber coaches “NOT”

theallegedone says:Aug 18, 2014 3:00 PM

Funny how all the haters talk about Teddy being in there against 3rd and 4th string defenses while leading the Vikings to victory…. HOWEVER, you fail to realize that Teddy was also out there with 3rd and 4th string players. Doesn’t matter who’s out there. You go out and do your job. And Teddy did a great job.

commonsense1986 says:Aug 18, 2014 3:10 PM

I agree, the D has been doing respectable when you look at what was done in past years. Also, they’ve been playing really basic schemes so far so that everyone can be evaluated. The fun stuff won’t come out until the regular season so that has me excited.

As for offense, I’d be fine with either, but all things being equal, I’d rather Teddy sit for a while. Let him get used to the day in day out stuff, see the speed of the game, absorb whats going on around him, before he’s thrust on the field. With the offense doing fairly well I get even more excited to think about whats going to happen once AD is added to the mix. With Rudolph showing some nice flashes, and the danger of Patterson anytime he’s on the field we are finally forming a downfield attack which should FINALLY open up some running lanes for AD. Now THATS going to be fun to watch.

I thought Cassel was still riding the pine in KC, he is the Vikes starting QB, oh brother!

contra74 says:Aug 18, 2014 4:11 PM

glac1 says:
Aug 18, 2014 3:14 PM
let’s wait and see how he does when the team he faces plays something other then a base defense!
—-
AZ blitzed during the entire last drive. Nothing BASE about that. Nice try though.

Wow. That is really bad news for the vikes. Yet another first round QB bust. They really needed bridgewater to be the starter, And he can’t even beat out Cassel?

lateefthetruthspeaker says:Aug 18, 2014 4:15 PM

2014 Vikings will be the surprise team of the year! 9-7 with a wildcard victory. NFC North be scared!!

eagleswin says:Aug 18, 2014 4:26 PM

I think it’s a good thing not to start rookie QBs the first game of their rookie year.

Whether it’s the Browns on the vikings, let the lame duck QB absorb the punishment while you get used to NFL game speed. When your teams are out of contention that is the time to start the rookies

joker65 says:Aug 18, 2014 4:30 PM

asgrimsnorrison says:
Aug 18, 2014 2:12 PM
This isn’t hard to figure out. They want Bridgewater to start, but just look at the schedule out of the gate:

@ St. Louis
New England
@ New Orleans
Atlanta
@ Green Bay

Even as a Vikings fan I think they will probably be 1-4 after that lineup…at best…. no matter who plays QB. Why would they subject Teddy to that?
___________________________________
Yeah, those defenses don’t really scare anybody, especially GB’s. They might go 1-4 against that group, but if he plays well wheres the harm? If they are losing 35-28, it most likely won’t be on his head.

rikker12 says:Aug 18, 2014 4:30 PM

Offenses and Defenses don’t game plan agianst each other in the preseason. Its a known fact. Teams are trying to put together their roster and run their basic plays, which could be the blitz or dime package on defense or 3 or 4 reciever set on offense.
They are saving the real playbook for the regular season.
Once the season starts, all this preseason talk will be forgotten anyways.

“Let’s be honest, Bridgewater beat 3rd and 4th stringers. He beat many players who won’t even be in the NFL in 2 weeks.”

Ok, however Teddy had to work with 3rd and 4th stringers as well! It’s not about Teddy getting a game winning drive at the end it is about how much he has progressed from last week. That is what I am cheering about, for that he took command of the team and led them to victory. The bonus’s are that Teddy won the game and he was dealt with constant pass rush in the last game winning drive.

That being said…I am tired of the relentless string of Viking game managers. I would like to see the Vikes get their QB someday. The rest of the North has them. Regardless of ppls opinions of the 3 main stays, it would make the division more fun.

Of course he’s the starter…he’s the best QB on that team and that’s not saying much. He’ll be the starter until they are eliminated from the playoffs (which won’t take too long) and then they will let Bridgewater get some game time.

It matters little that he was playing against folks who will not even be in the NFL in a couple weeks. Here’s what matters: he was putting the ball right needed to go. One pass to Simpson was incomplete. The Juice told him it was to the wrong shoulder. The winning TD to Rodney Smith was the same play, this time to the correct shoulder. Also, Theilen dropped a sure TD. Teddy Touchdown was not throwing ropes, he had touch on his throws, landing them just where he wanted them.
Skol

What? This can’t be true. I thought BustH2O solidified a starting position along with induction into the Hall of Fame after last weeks performance.

toddc612 says:Aug 18, 2014 5:29 PM

It really doesn’t matter who starts. Us Viking’s fans are just smiling ear to ear because Zimmer and his coaches have finally put Ponder and his useless play to bed (something the fans knew for years but Frazier and his clown-crew never seemed to figure out). Heck, I might even go see a game this year knowing there isn’t a chance of seeing Ponder take a snap. Rejoice!

The Cassel vs. Bridgewater debate is a good problem to have for this team..

This division should be an easy one to win this year for GB with the Bears garbage defense, the lions being the lions and the Vikings rancid defense and them being snake bitten in the first round of the playoffs for 1 year it will all be over and we will have it sealed up by week 9!

eagleswin says:
Aug 18, 2014 4:26 PM
I think it’s a good thing not to start rookie QBs the first game of their rookie year.

Whether it’s the Browns on the vikings, let the lame duck QB absorb the punishment while you get used to NFL game speed. When your teams are out of contention that is the time to start the rookies
————————————————————

I would not be shocked if the Vikes GM traded Cassel for a 1 and 4 pick and started Bridgewater and kept Ponder who hasn’t played.
Bridgewater looked all pro the other night, Crisp passes, wide out passes, downfield passes.
He looked polished to say the least. and he has only played three quarters.
Cassel is worth a lot of money right now. Many teams like the Texans are going to need help.
All I know if the above deal was done, and it worked, everyone would know what I do, the GM of the Vikes is the best there is. He has out drafted everyone the last three years.

toddc612 says:Aug 18, 2014 7:18 PM

Stop the excuses for Ponder. His garbage play speaks for itself. He’s had every chance handed to him on silver platter.. he failed to cash in. It’s truly unbelievable that he was ever actually in the starting line-up as a QB.

frank booth says:Aug 18, 2014 7:32 PM

Seriously, you’re not going to get anything near a 1 and a 4 for Cassel. He’s not even a second tier QB in the NFL.

What I loved most about the Vikings so far is with this offense they have been much more productive passing the ball even with a pretty pedestrian running game. The 2nd half rushing total for MN was 14 yards, so Teddy scored 17 pts with no running game. He was facing 3 and 4 man blitzes and still moved the ball down the field to scores. Throw in an Adrian Peterson and this offense is special. 8 and 9 man fronts to stop Peterson gives you single and uncovered receivers.

2nd, 3rd or 4th string, but they were all players good enough to be given a shot on an NFL team and Teddy was playing with 2nd, 3rd and 4th stringers. Listen to the post-game from Bruce Arians and see what he thinks of Teddy.

My parents always told me that if a subject was being discussed that I didn’t know anything about, I would be wise to shut my mouth and just listen lest I say something foolish or stupid.

Most of the people on here obviously didn’t have parents like mine.

That being said, the QB play from the Vikings has looked pretty strong from what I’ve seen of the first two pre-season games. The offense in general is very good at every position with maybe the exception of LG.

I see a rough start for the team though in the first half of the schedule. Tough games and the defense is obviously still learning Zimmer’s system. Going to take time for them to come together, especially with how young that defense is.

That being said, I think the Vikes are going to be a miserable team to play against in the 2nd half of the season. Don’t think the Vikes are heading to the playoffs this year. Too many changes in terms of personnel and coaching. But if they have another good offseason (draft/FA period) I see them winning the division next year.

Viking fans are trying to project anti Viking results upon this team, but I just don’t see it.

“With the 5th pick in the 2015 draft, the Vikings select………”

pappavike says:Aug 19, 2014 12:45 AM

I have to say, Those of you who keep refering to Bridgewater as bustwater or this other timeless classic small hands Bridgewater, Really need to get better material. Viking fans know you do it, Because your jealous, scared or perhaps because you simply lack the intelligence to come up with something new!!

The Vikings have clinched last place again this year, making it 4 out of 5.

zygizag says:Aug 19, 2014 6:43 PM

VIKINGS 2 QB’s looking good : a good problem to have

CLEVELAND 2 QB’s looking bad : not good

secretbonus1 says:Aug 20, 2014 9:00 AM

Both look good, Cassel did nothing wrong, but ultimately Cassel excelled last year having his best games when Asiata was in and he wasn’t facing 8man fronts… So of course he looks good in preseason when the blitzes aren’t as easily disguised and when he can sit back in a clean pocket. That will change when he faces a run blitz every other down and 8 in the box and he and the OL has difficulty discerning where the pressure is coming from. That is when Cassel ends up throwing the ball away if the first read isn’t there, when his timing gets off and when he develops inconsistencies.
Bridgewater excelled in tight pockets, and facing blitzes in college.
Since AP will force 8-9 man fronts, another good showing by Bridgewater particularly at sliding in pocket, buying time and moving within the pocket (which was the one area he seemed to excel at in both preseason games) SHOULD lock it up for him (doesn’t mean it necessarily will) contrary to what the media is telling you… At least if the coaching staff has the balls of Pete Carrol to make the right decision as Carrol did with Russel Wilson.
Actually, it is probably more of an Alex Smith/Colin Kaepernick situation in which they both look good, but Kaepernick did enough that he could not be held out of the lineup any longer.

Bridgewater should be the guy real soon if not week 1 if he shows last preseason game was not an anomaly and he has made the adjustment from preseason game 1 to preseason game 2 in adjusting to the speed of the game.